Red pepper flakes, also known as crushed red pepper, are a condiment consisting of dried and crushed (as opposed to ground) red chili peppers. Crushed red pepper flakes are made from hot dried red peppers. Crushed red pepper shakers have become as standard as salt and pepper on tables at Italian restaurants and especially pizza parlors. So common, in fact, are the red pepper flakes as a pizza ingredient that the spice is also known as "the pizza pepper." Red pepper flakes are not made of one type of chili, but from various combinations of ancho, bell, cayenne and more. Often there is a high ratio of seeds, which intensifies the heat of the pepper. Crushed red pepper flakes are used in pickling, chowders, gumbos, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce and sausage. As chilis have become more popular the styles and varieties of peppers used to make crushed red pepper has also increased.
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